


Words That Hurt

by DIW



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Titans mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23158627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DIW/pseuds/DIW
Summary: In a world where everyone has the first words their soulmate will say to them written on their chest, words that start to take on colour after they are spoken by the right person, Tim Drake- Robin number three - believed his soulmate was dead.Until someone breaks into the tower to prove him wrong.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Comments: 34
Kudos: 459





	Words That Hurt

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, this is my first time writing for this fandom, but I hope someone enjoys it? 
> 
> In case I'm not clear enough in the story, The words are written in a black outline on each person, and when their soulmate says them they begin to fill in with one or more colours.

There was an intruder in the Tower.

Whoever it was they were dangerous too. They managed to get in without setting off any type of alarm. The only reason Robin was aware of them was that he came across Cassie knocked out in the kitchen.

He tried to contact any of the other Titans but no one was answering. A look through the security cameras showed him that someone had looped the feed, making everything look normal, if overly empty. The only video that caught the intruder was from the stairwell to the roof. The man even turned and seemed to look right at the camera- the helmet fully concealing the man’s identity- before he stepped casually out through the door.

Tim growled as he grabbed his staff and raced after him.

He had heard of the Red Hood - a shudder ran through him, Robin may be a mantle he took up, but for someone to want to step into the Clowns shoes… that was disturbing even to someone desensitized to Gotham’s crazies – the man was making waves through the Gotham underworld. Taking out rival crime bosses in the bloodiest ways.

It was a trap, he knew it was, it very obviously was. But what could he do?

He couldn’t let this man run around his city or hurt anyone else.

He reached the roof entrance and very cautiously opened the door and looked around the open space.

He stepped out slowly onto the empty roof. He took a couple of steps forward, looking around before spinning to look at the man crouched over the doorway.

He raised his staff and took a defensive stance.

“Well, hey there baby-bird.” The criminal crooned comfortably smug.

And ice washed through Robin. He froze completely as the man jumped down and strolled over to him. “Got a message for the big man”

Tim wanted to snark, wanted to ask what the big message was, wanted to ask why he came all the way out here, how he got in…

But he didn’t. Couldn’t. Couldn’t even move.

The man seemed slightly thrown off by the silence, but got right into his face, “What? A silent Robin? Isn’t chatter part of the job description? Batman desperate enough he only needs young and dark haired hey?” Tim shivered but that was capable of. That seemed to only rile the man up more.

Tim couldn’t even react when the man punched him in the face. He stumbled back when a fist connected with his stomach.

“Didn’t even give you any self defense lessons? Wow, what a mentor you have.” He hit him again, angrier.

Tim stumbled and fell, staring up at the man with wide eyes, mind going a thousand miles an hour. “What’s wrong with you? Someone broke you already?” He asked standing over him, hands clenched by his sides right by his guns.

“I thought you were dead.” Is what comes out of Tim’s mouth. The hooded man recoils and Tim is slightly horrified “I thought you were dead.” He whispers again.

The man rolls back on his heels, looking as though he might make a break for it, but instead he pulls a large knife from his back from under his jacket and drops on top of Tim, knees braced on either side of him.

It would be easy to escape this position, the man is not even touching him, it’s not a real pin, only Tim still can’t move. Every instinct is telling him to get out of there, run, this man is dangerous, and is now holding a weapon. But Tim Can’t.

The Red Hood lunges forward and cut through the Robin uniform with disturbing ease. He tears through from navel to neck, only leaving a shallow cut along the skin underneath. He moves the pieces out of the way using the tip of the blade and stares at the words written across the chest below him.

The letters were faded and grey the way they turned when your soul mate died- Tim had resigned himself to living without his match since he was ten years old, he remembers the morning when he looked down and the black outline had paled and his whole world collapsed. People could still be happy afterwards, even find love again, not to say that the soul mate was always a romantic partner, but Tim didn’t even get to meet his yet and it wasn’t fair! – but now, having heard the words that he had always been waiting for being spoken to him the very tip of the W had turned a vibrant green.

A gloved fingertip reached down and touched it lightly.

The words would continue to fill in, for as long as they were both alive, the colours usually growing, gliding from letter to letter from start to finish. How long it would take is impossible to say, some finish in a week, some keep filling in for years. There’s no scientific evidence supporting any of the theories on what effects the speed or the colours, some saying it’s the amount of time you spend with your soulmate, or suggesting it depends on how deep your bond is, or maybe it has to do with how much the two of you touch.

On the off chance that the last one is true he feels the urge to ask the other to keep touching him. But instead – “Jason?”

The hand pulls away as though burned, and an unidentifiable noise makes it passed the voice modulator in the helmet.

Tim pushes to his elbows and stares up, wishing he could see through the eyes. He didn’t mean to say that name, didn’t fully realise he was thinking it, and now for the first time since he stepped out onto the rooftop Tim finds that he is scared.

It makes sense though. Not long after the words faded Tim’s world was rocked again when he learned that Jason Todd, Robin number two, and Tim’s all-time favourite hero, had been killed.

He tried to tell himself that it was a coincidence, because thousands of people die in a day, and he can’t presume anything. It wouldn’t be fair to Jason or to the potential other soul mate. Also, it just hurt. Knowing how close he was to the other boy, the one he lived next door to, the one he followed and photographed at night, but never ever worked up the courage to speak to when he spotted the other at galas or other big events.

But it made sense. His soulmate was somehow back from the dead. He knew the ins and outs of Gotham and its criminal element. Had a vendetta against Batman, could match him in a fight. Could get into the tower-and take down the titans within. Someone who knew what type of knife would cut through the Robin uniform.

Tim pushed himself up further and the other man stood up. Tim reached out, one hand raised to touch him and the crime lord stumbled back. “Jason?”

The hood dropped his knife and jumped at the sound of it hitting the floor. He shook his head at Robin and for the first time in his career, the Red Hood turned and ran.

Robin didn’t pursue.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote a second chapter for this but since I have no actual plot to move forward with I think this will stay a one shot until I come up with some sort of satisfying ending. 
> 
> Please comment if you have any constructive criticism, it'll help me grow


End file.
